Indestructible
by Anne Nonymus
Summary: "All magic comes with a price," seems to be the Storybrooke mantra, and Emma can't help the dread that builds inside her when she realizes that she's suddenly imbued with instantaneous healing abilities, making her practically indestructible. She knows that there must be a dark side to this newfound magical power. What she doesn't know is that someone else is paying the price.
1. Prelude

**A/N: Ok, here goes another multi chap story for me. This story idea has been haunting me for a while now so I decided to post it and see if anyone else likes it.**

**Takes place post Neverland, but without the whole body switch with Henry. **

**Disclaimer: Yeah...don't I wish I owned OUAT. Instead, lucky bastards at ABC network and evil geniuses Kitsis and Horowitz have it. **

**Prelude**

"Lucas, are we sure about this?" Jonah whispered loudly as they boarded the infamous Jolly Roger.

"You know what our orders are Jonah." hissed Lucas.

"Yes, I know what King George said," Jonah grunted, glancing around nervously. "But, you gotta admit that this is insane! We're talking about Captain Hook! Scourge of the seas! King of the Pirates! I heard he once gutted a man for bumping against him in a tavern and nearly spilling his ale! Do we really want to piss him off?"

"Relax Jonah," sighed Lucas. "Haven't you heard? He's in love with the Sheriff. Ever since she wrapped her legs around him she's had control of his gonads. He won't do anything to us, he _can't _do anything to us or she'll have no choice but to lock him up. You know the Charming family, their sense of right makes them weak."

"She's got to be mind-blowing in bed to get a villain like Hook to bring him to his knees, right?" Jonah joked nervously. "Or maybe she's the one that goes on her knees."

"Well, perhaps the rightful King will reward us with some time with the so called saviour if the other team hurries up and gets her to the boat before the deadline," Lucas agreed. "Even though I bet that we got the better end of the mission. The Sheriff is a fighter and I'm sure the bitch will give them hell before the end. We get the easy part. After all, how much trouble can a one handed pirate with a crush on the Sheriff be?"

Jonah chuckled, realizing he was being silly. He and Lucas were big, strong burly men, two of George's finest guards. Surely they could handle a single pirate, even if the pirate did have a bloodthirsty reputation in the past. That was before he relinquished his vengeance and associated himself with the self righteous band of heroes.

And just when he was starting to feel reassured, suddenly the air around him felt colder. The hairs on the back of his neck started to stand up, and goosebumps rippled over his skin. He and Lucas spun around, their guns drawn as they heard a chillingly cold laughter wash over them. Suddenly, Jonah felt something slam into the back of his head and he found himself crumbling to the ground, darkness creeping in at the corners of his vision. Just as unconsciousness was about to overtake him, he heard a deep, dark accented voice say;

"Apparently, a lot of trouble."

Jonah wasn't sure how long he was out. He did know that his head throbbed from being hit from behind. As he stumbled towards consciousness, he noticed that he was gagged and there were manacles on his wrists and ankles, a heavy iron chain linking them together that wrapped around his neck. He was hog tied and from the looks of it he was somewhere below decks of a ship. _The _ship - the Jolly Roger, which meant….oh god.

"Ah finally," a whiskey deep voice chuckled from somewhere in the shadows. "He awakes. For a moment there I thought I killed you too mate. Was about to chop you to pieces and toss you overboard. Can't have the Sheriff and the Charmings know that I killed the both of you. Already tossed your mate there. Whoops, I hope he was dead before I chopped him up. Oh well."

"H…H..Hook?" Jonah mumbled through the gag, trembling with fear as he saw the glint off the silver of that famous appendage.

"That's Captain to you," Hook spat, emerging out of the shadows. "I feel that, before you die you should be robbed of some misconceptions. I may associate with those on the side of good, but make no mistake, should anyone under my protection be threatened, they _will _have Captain Hook to deal with. And I have no qualms about inducing soul splitting amounts of agony or or spilling rivers of blood. I've gutted many in my exceedingly long years, and I assure you it's a hard habit to break."

"But…but…the Sheriff-" Jonah sputtered, crying and wetting his pants, struggling briefly only to realize that with every movement the chain around his neck got tighter.

"What the sheriff doesn't know won't anger her," Hook shrugged, pulling the gag from Jonah's mouth. "Which is why I tossed your friend overboard as soon as I steered the Jolly past the docks and into a secluded cove. The creatures will see to his remains, and to yours once I'm done with you. Scream all you like by the way, there's no one for miles to hear you."

"Once you're….?" Jonah begged, his mind flooding with the horrors Hook would inflict upon him with his infamous appendage. He was also aware that whatever his mind came up with, Hook would probably come up with something worse.

"Oh mate, I'm not done with you yet," Hook grinned in a manner that chilled Jonah to the bone. "Not by a long shot. Now you can answer my questions and afford yourself a quick death and merciful death, or…"

He hovered over Jonah, a snarl marring his handsome face as he looked upon the man in disgust. The Captain drew his hook over Jonas considerable belly, and pressed just hard enough to feel the sting.

"Or I could _pull _the answers from you piece by piece," he replied thoughtfully, as he slowly dragged his hook up towards Jonah's throat. "What shall it be?"

"King George ordered me and Lucas to go here, to the Jolly and knock you out," Jonah blurted tearfully. "We were to bind you and keep you here until the second part of the plan was enacted by two of his other men. Then they were going to bring the Sheriff's body here and make it look like you killed her in a fit of possessive rage. Since you're known to be close to the Charmings, it would make them look like fools for trusting you and it would destroy them to lose their only child to someone they considered to be a friend."

"Please….please Captain sir….please don't kill me," sobbed Jonah. "I was just following orders."

"You were following the orders of a corrupt king," Jeered Hook, grabbing Jonah by the throat and squeezing hard. "You'll get no mercy for blindly following him. Tell me where and when this attack on the Sheriff is to occur and who has been set after her, and I will make your ending quick. Otherwise…."

He let go of Jonah, pulled out a small vial from his leather coat pocket and brought it to Jonah's eyes for him to see. Jonah whimpered in fear at the green glowing liquid, fearing what it was and what effect it would have on him.

"Don't fret mate," Hook laughed darkly, leaning over him. "This is a potion made from several healing essences, including the waters of Lake Nostos, and just a hint of pixie dust. Can heal any wound without leaving a trace. Took quite a while to perfect this elixir."

"Wh…Wh.." stuttered Jonah, puzzled.

"Why would I use a healing potion on you?" Hook finished the question for him. "Simple. You can't torture a dead man. Of course with this elixir I could bring you to the edge of death, heal you, and then begin again….and again…and again…"

Hook smiled maniacally, his eyes twinkling with malevolent intent as he ripped Jonah's shirt open and Jonah shrieked in fear.

"Where shall we start…." Hook paused, tapping his appendage against his chin.

"Duncan and Robert!" Jonah yelled, bawling openly. "Duncan Evans and Robert Smith were going to ambush her as she went on her usual patrol by the old toll bridge late this afternoon. Then later tonight when the docks were clear, they were going to bring her to the docks and we'd set everything up. Lucas was going to leave an anonymous tip about screams he heard at the docks, and the Deputy was supposed to find you with the body of his daughter and he'd fly into a rage and kill you. That's all I know, I swear to god! Please don't hurt me!"

"God you're good." muttered another, gruffer voice. "You barely touched him and he was singing like a canary."

"Grumpy, alert the Charmings if you will," replied Hook, standing up. "We have an ambush to thwart."

"Already did," the dwarf answered. "They're already on their way to the toll bridge. They've got Ruby with them to help them find the idiots who went after Emma. David wants us to meet him there just in case."

"What do we do with this guy and the one that's in the trunk?" asked Happy.

"Oh, I have a great many ideas on how to deal with this filth," snarled Hook. "Until I decide, let's leave them where they are, shall we?"

"Wait," gasped Jonah. "Wait, Lucas is alive?"

"I know, I lied," smirked Hook. "Pirate."

"Again, what do we do with George's garbage?" asked Grumpy, eyeing Jonah with disgust.

"Leave them here for now," shrugged Hook. "Once we're assured of Emma's safety, Doc will you Happy and Sneezy be able to deliver them to the station?"

"Sure thing Captain." Doc assured him.

"So, you're not going to kill us." Jonah sighed in relief as the Grumpy ascended the ladder to the upper decks.

"Don't be so sure about that," growled Hook, pausing at the bottom rung. "If anything happens to the Sheriff, if so much as a hair on her head is disturbed, I will return. And when I do, all of the tales of cruelty and barbarism that have been associated with me will pale in comparison to what horrors I will inflict upon you, your friend, and your king. If my Emma is hurt, I will most assuredly put my hook to good use with you both. Before you die, you will get to see just exactly what is _inside _of you."

With that, he turned his back on Jonah and climbed the ladder and joined Grumpy in his car just off of the docks..

"Glad you're on our side," commented Grumpy as he drove. "Because you can be one scary SOB. You didn't even have to touch the guy and you had him singing like a canary."

"Well, being a villain has its benefits." shrugged Hook.

"Former villain," Grumpy reminded him. "You don't fool me Jones. You're one of the good guys."

"Any good that is in me is because of Emma," he admitted. "If she comes to any harm…."

"I know, it's bye bye Jones and 'oh god run for your lives, it's Hook!," smirked Grumpy.

"You may mock me dwarf, but the tales of my villainy are true," said Killian ashamedly. "I didn't just drown in darkness, I revelled in it. I loved the fear that my name induced in people. I would need a castle to hide the bodies of all those that I've killed."

"Yeah, Hook did all that shit because his hand was chopped off by the man who murdered the woman he loved. He was in pain with no one to be there with him to help him through it," Grumpy reasoned. "You're Jones now. And if you really were as much of an unholy bastard, then why have you helped the Charmings? You've risked your life for them time and time again, you've helped them when there was nothing in it for you. You've changed brother, and for the good. The Charmings know it, the town knows it, the dwarves and I know it, and so do Emma and Henry. Redemption ain't easy but you're trying and I gotta give you credit for that."

"Was that a compliment?" asked Hook, trying to bite back a smile.

"Don't let it get to your head Jones," Grumpy grumbled. "Your ego is big enough as it is, I'm surprised that you haven't capsized that boat of yours."

"It's a ship!" Jones corrected. "And if you continue to drive this slow, I might as well get out of this vehicle and run to the toll bridge."

"You want fast? I'll give you fast." Grumpy sneered as he stomped on the gas, plastering Hook to the front passenger seat.


	2. Deal with the Devil

**A/N: Sorry that this took so long, holidays have been absolutely nuts...won't bore you with the details, just know that I'm working hard on the other WIP that I have and I truly appreciate all of the reviews and follows that this and my other stories have received.**

**Big hugs to all who have followed, favorited and reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: Apparently I'm on Santa's naughty list because I didn't find OUAT in my stocking or under my tree for Christmas. I've even looked under other people's trees. I guess that the characters and main plot lines still belong to the dastardly duo of Kitsis and Horowitz and the ABC Network. All I own are the DVDs, my demented dog and my perverse imagination. **

**Dealing with the Devil**

"You want fast? I'll give you fast." Grumpy sneered as he stomped on the gas, plastering Hook to the front passenger seat. He gunned it all the way to the side road that led to the forest behind the old troll bridge. To his credit, Killian didn't complain at the speed grumpy was driving, the dwarf could tell his discomfort from the tightness in the pirate's jaw and the way he gripped the dashboard. Grumpy had barely stepped on the brakes when Killian tore open the door and bolted towards the bridge, towards Emma. Grumpy thought about yelling at him for not bothering to shut the car door, but instead chuckled as he rounded the car, shut and locked the doors before running after the pirate. One thing that King George's band of misfit idiots got right was the Feared Pirate Captain had it bad for Emma. There was a time when that would have enraged the dwarf, but now, knowing what Jones would do for Emma, let's face it, the princess could have done worse. She was with Neal when she was younger, and that guy makes Jones look like a Prince in comparison.

George and his followers saw the Captain's feelings for Emma as Hook's weakness, but he couldn't be more wrong. Emma did change Jones, and because of her he was keeping on the straight and narrow. But what he said to Lucas was true. If anything happened to Emma, Grumpy didn't doubt that Hook would burn all of the realms to cinder with his rage, and no deity would dare come to the aid of whomever was responsible for taking Emma away from him. He almost felt sorry for George and his moronic minions. Almost.

He called out to Jones, telling him to wait up as Grumpy scrambled after him, though he didn't know why he even bothered. Jones had a one track mind when it came to Emma's safety. The man would swim across the Atlantic to her if he had to, to make sure she was okay. At least he wasn't sappy about it though. Obnoxious, crude, vulgar yes, but it was obvious that underneath the come ons and innuendo that he really loved and respected Emma, and that was all that the Charmings and everyone who cared about her could ask for. Well, they could ask for more but with their luck they should take what they get.

Grumpy could see the trees thinning just up ahead and he sighed at finally reaching the clearing when he saw Hook storming towards him.

"Change of plans, we're meeting them at the Hospital." Hook thundered, stalking past him, white hot anger rolling off him like waves.

"Jones, wait….what the hell happened?" Grumpy asked, stumbling after him while he felt icicles form in the pit of his stomach. Rather than answer him, Hook continued on with startling fluidity. Almost as if he didn't need to know where he was going, he was in the kind of mood where everyone and everything would sense it and get out of the way.

"Jones, hold up a sec dammit!" the Dwarf croaked, breathing heavily, his shorter legs screaming from the strain. Holy crap, he just barely got to the site where they were supposed to meet and now they were hiking back. If not for his worry he would have demanded that they take a breather.

When he finally caught up with Jones he was already at the car, yanking at the passenger door handle.

"Whoa, stop it!" Grumpy yelled while he attempted to shove Hook away from the car, but the man was all rage and muscles and easily deflected Grumpy's assault, and the dwarf was the one that ended up going backwards.

"Jones, wrecking my car isn't going to get us to the hospital any faster," he pointed out, unlocking the doors and taking a seat behind the wheel as Hook got in beside him. He turned the ignition and started towards the hospital with a glowering pirate beside him. Even though his instincts told him that pushing him was a really bad idea while he was in the angry pirate mood, Grumpy had to know what happened to Emma.

"They successfully apprehended the cowards that were lying in wait for Emma," Hook began answering the question in Grumpy's mind, his voice deceptively calm while his fingertips bit into the dashboard. "One of them began taunting Neal, his focus wavered and the cretin that he was supposed to have subdued got free and charged at Emma, and he slammed her into a tree."

"That sonofa-" Grumpy growled, squeezing the gas pedal harder. "Is she gonna be ok?"

"She hit her head quite hard." Jones gritted out.

"Well, it's a good thing she's so damn hardheaded." Grumpy quipped lamely.

"There was blood on the trunk of the tree and she couldn't stand on her own," Jones barked. "Her injuries are not to be the subject of a joke."

"Jones, I'm just as worried about her as you are," Grumpy retorted. "She's my goddaughter for gods sake. Emma's family."

He spared a glance at Jones, and saw the man's jaw snapped together so tightly that he would be surprised if all of the pirate's pearly whites haven't all cracked to bits. Jones stared straight out in front of him, and behind the obvious rage, Grumpy could see the slightest flicker of fear there.

"How close were you to gutting the bastard?" he asked, figuring Hook's anger stemmed not only from not preventing Emma from getting hurt but also from not being able to kill the person responsible.

"A hairsbreadth." he muttered, and Grumpy believed him. He also knew that there were only two people who would have had a snowball's chance in hell of stopping him; David who Jones had surprisingly become practically best buddies with, and Emma. For them, he would have stopped, though apparently he wouldn't be the least bit happy with it.

They got to the hospital faster than Grumpy had ever thought they would, and when they got to the hospital, Belle were there with Ruby, Neal, and Charming. Apparently, Neal thought it was a good idea to have some magical healing on hand in case Emma's injuries were serious. Funny how the guy who once hate magic now calls on his father at the drop of a hat.

"How is she?" Hook grumbled, staring straight at David and pointedly ignoring everyone else.

"She's gonna be fine Hook," Neal reassured him, though nowadays he was the only one that called Jones that. "She's got Snow with her and my Dad and Whale are taking care of her."

"Had Bae not been careless with the prisoner, Emma would not have gotten injured." Jones growled, once again talking only to Charming.

"Jones, it was an accident," David sighed, though Grumpy noticed the quick little side eye that he gave to a chagrinned Neal. "He didn't mean for it to happen."

"It wouldn't have happened at all if he had better control!" Jones burst out, practically trembling with rage. "Or better yet, if you had just gutted the bilge sucking blaggard, Emma would be fine. They planned to ambush her mate! You should have heard the other two yammering on about it, hoping that after I was tied up, they'd be rewarded with some 'time' with the saviour. What do you think that they meant by that Dave? And just because we've managed to thwart this attempt, do you honestly believe that they'll stop there?"

"Look, I get it, okay? I hate seeing Emma hurt too, but gutting someone isn't the always the answer Jones," sighed David patiently. He knew that Jones was just worried about Emma, and so was he, but he had faith that Emma was going to be okay.

"It's a tactic that's served me well for centuries," Jones shot back, but at the look on the prince's face he deflated slightly. "Why do they have to remain unscathed and under your protection while Emma is injured?"

"I'll tell you this until she shows up and tells you herself, but Emma is okay," David grinned reassuringly. "And besides, I don't know about them being unscathed. You did give the brute that tackled Emma a nice hit to the skull that'll leave his head ringing for days."

"Very least I can do," Jones smirked. "I'd still rather gut him."

"No, no need for gutting, I'm fine." announced Emma, accompanied by Snow, Whale, and Gold. She allowed her father to give her a hug, and smiled over his shoulder at Jones.

"Well, fine may be overstating it a little," chuckled Gold at her side. "Your head did take quite a beating. I believe the medical term would be blunt force trauma."

"Okay, why don't you stick to the magic and leave the medicine for me?" grumbled Whale.

"Right, and who was the one who actually helped to heal the sheriff?" Gold pointed out.

"Point is," Snow interjected. "Emma will be fine. Right?"

"Well, I did mend the fractures on her skull where it hit the tree, and most of the damage," said Gold. "The thing of it is, the brain is a rather delicate organ. There's only so much I can do without there being repercussions - especially when there's magic involved. She'll still need to rest and take care of her injury."

"I concur with Mr. Gold," agreed Whale. "While her injury is downgraded from a major traumatic brain injury to a grade I concussion, she'll still need at least 2 full days of cognitive and physical rest. That means no reading, at all! Even leisure reading can make your symptoms worse. Also, no writing, texting or doing police reports or police work. You can take over for a couple of days for her, right Deputy?"

"Of course." nodded David.

"Her is right here," she paused, taking note of her currently failing grammar. "I mean she is right here. I am right here. Don't talk about me like I'm not."

"I am talking to your friends and family because I know you'd disregard anything I say about your treatment." Whale quipped.

"That's because it's stupid, and I'm fine!" she growled.

"Then humour us and just relax for a couple of days," Whale sighed. "You're all going to have to watch out for signs of dizziness, nausea, vomiting, excessive drowsiness, unsteady walk, and of course the more serious symptoms such as numbness in the arms or legs, double or blurred vision, and even though I sincerely doubt she'll have any seizure activity, the minute that happens bring her right back here."

"Will do Whale," nodded David, before noticing that Jones had not said a word, just seemed to be gritting his teeth and staring at a far wall. He also knew that a silent Jones was something to worry about.

"I have to be somewhere," the pirate suddenly spoke up, turning towards Snow. "Please let me know if you or Emma need anything."

"Jones, where do you think you're going?" asked Charming, stepping in front of the pirate.

"Do you really want to know the answer to that question?" Jones replied coldly as he turned away from the royal couple.

"I was thinking, since Emma is out of commission at the moment, I could use some help with the investigation," said David, a tight smile stretching over his face. "And you have proven helpful-"

"No," Hook said bluntly. "As I said, I have something that needs to be done. If you need help with your 'investigation', ask Bae-Neal for assistance."

"Don't do this Jones," hissed David, following after Hook. "You've done so much to change your life around, to be worthy of our trust, of Emma's trust. If you go and do what I think you're going to do, I will arrest you and you will have ruined everything you've worked so hard for. If you go and do what I think you're going to do, then you're no better than they are."

"Maybe I'm not," Hook replied disdainfully. "Maybe all I am meant to be is a villain. Now, it's time for Captain Hook to be teaching a few lessons as to what happens to those who harm someone in his protection."

"Hook-" David growls before he's interrupted.

"David, might I have a word with the Captain?" a voice behind them asks, though from the tone it's more of a command than anything. Reluctantly, Jones nods his acceptance.

"You sure about this?" David asks hesitantly.

"I will keep to the truce that Emma had me agree upon," sighed Jones. "The fight I have now is with George and his followers."

"I currently have no argument with the Captain and don't intend to start one," replied Gold as David turns to him. "I just want to talk."

"I have enough to deal with right now," huffed David, pointing a threatening finger at Jones and Gold. "So help me god if you two start even more trouble I'll shoot first and ask questions later."

"Agreed." Jones nods while Gold simply shrugs and puts up both hands in a gesture of surrender. Glaring at the two men, David slowly walks backward into the hospital, finally turning around as he enters through the double doors.

"What did you want to talk about Rumplestiltskin? The weather perhaps?" Jones gritted. Even though he agreed to a truce negotiated by Belle and Emma, it didn't stop him from feeling that frisson of hate that tingled just under his skin calling out for the Crocodile's blood. Jones just gritted his teeth, biting back the anger and the urge to bury his Hook into the pawn shop owner's neck.

"Not something so mundane as that," Rumple replied with a smile that seemed to be more like a sneer. "As a matter of fact, it would probably be best to speak in private. If you would accompany me to my shop, we could speak there."

Even though every part of Killian screamed out for him not to do it, not to acquiesce to the Crocodile's request, his gut clenching at the wrongness of the offer, he swept out his hook arm in an "after you" gesture and followed Gold to his car.

Once they reached the shop, again he allowed Gold to proceed before following him.

"Well, we're here," Jones pointed out. "Why are we here."

"You helped save my son and my grandson, I owe you a debt," answered Gold. "I always honour my debts."

"I didn't do it for you," shrugged Jones. "Therefore no debt is owed. Now if you'll excuse-"

"Ah, but I assure you, you'll want this reward for your bravery," smiled Gold knowingly as he stepped into the back room and returned with a glass covered box. Jones sky blue eyes widened as they fell on the contents of the box.

"You have my hand?" he gasped, his hooked arm reaching out as if the itself stump recognized the missing part and wished to reunite with it.

"I do," Gold nodded, gently setting it down on the counter. "And I can also reattach it so that it functions as well as it once did."

Killian couldn't help but gape at his long lost appendage. Part of him wanted to gut Gold for being depraved enough to keep a trophy of the day that nearly destroyed him. The other part of him wanted desperately to have his hand back. To be a fully functioning and whole man once again.

"You can have your hand back," offered Gold. "Or you can have this."

Gold fished around in the display case for a small jewelry box. He opened it, and showed it to Jones. Killian laughed, wondering why the Crocodile could possibly think that he would choose the overly delicate looking silver chain with the misshapen heart pendant.

"I know, it isn't your taste in jewelry is it?" smirked Gold as he took the necklace out and dangled it in front of Killian.

"That is an understatement," scoffed Jones. "I wouldn't wear that for all the gold in the realm."

"Ah, but would you wear it for your Swan?" asked Gold mysteriously. "Would you wear it to save her life?"


End file.
